LG Electronics (066570) and Apple have begun pushing into the AI home market in earnest, unveiling a slate of new products built on their partnership in controlling household devices through artificial intelligence and the internet of things. LG Electronics aims to secure the upper hand in the AI home market by combining its global appliance manufacturing capability with Apple's ecosystem of about 2.5 billion devices centered on the iPhone.
LG Electronics said it held a joint product launch event with Apple in Manhattan, New York, on the 13th, unveiling seven IoT devices the two companies developed together. They include one indoor camera, two outdoor cameras, a doorbell, a door lock, a thermostat and a temperature sensor. The products will go on sale first in North America and the United Kingdom this year.
The announcement came less than a week after news broke on the 7th that the two companies were jointly developing AI home devices, marking their first collaborative result. LG Electronics handles production and customer support and sells the devices under its own brand. Apple took charge of design, feature development and engineering. The two companies said they minimized the risk of hacking and data leaks by applying both LG Electronics' security solution, LG Shield, and Apple's data encryption technology.
The products work with LG Electronics' AI home platform, LG ThinQ, as well as Apple devices including the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. They will also connect to Home View, a six-inch display-based device dedicated to the AI home that Apple plans to release soon.
The indoor and outdoor cameras and the doorbell use vision AI technology that recognizes and analyzes visual information, allowing users to easily check conditions inside and outside the home. The indoor camera distinguishes between people and pets and detects unusual sounds such as a baby crying or glass breaking, sending an immediate alert. The outdoor cameras and doorbell monitor the area around the home around the clock and send alerts to mobile devices when something unusual occurs.
The thermostat optimizes indoor heating and cooling by analyzing the user's movement patterns, time of day and weather. It can be controlled with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The door lock, fitted with multiple sensors, detects subtle movements by the user and analyzes the intent to enter, opening the door without any separate operation. It also immediately notifies mobile devices of unusual situations such as a door left open, attempted damage or unauthorized entry.
The alliance is expected to set up full-fledged competition with Samsung Electronics (005930) in the AI home market. Samsung Electronics has built an AI home ecosystem by securing a broad lineup of its own products, from smartphones to appliances, and linking them together. LG Electronics, by contrast, lacks a smartphone business, while Apple lacks a foundation in home appliances. Apple launched HomeKit, a smart home platform based on the iPhone and iPad, in 2014, but struggled to gain a leading position in the market. The partnership effectively lets each company cover the other's weakness as they move to expand their AI home ecosystem.
"By combining LG Electronics' expertise in appliances and living spaces, Apple's distinctive user experience, and the strong security capabilities of both companies, we will deliver a safe and intuitive AI home experience," said Jung Ki-hyun, head of the platform business center at LG Electronics' Home Appliance Solution division.
